Join Us For Sunday Worship!

You can launch the Sunday 10am worship service livestream by clicking the gray button.

You can view the online worship bulletin by clicking the purple button.

Sunday School and childcare will be available.

Boy Scouts Food Drive And

Stay After Worship For A Second Hour With Circles Leader Shanequa Ginn

Please bring a non-perishable food item to worship today to contribute to the Boy Scouts Food Drive, which will benefit Toni's Kitchen.

About our Second Hour next Sunday in the Guild Room:

Shanequa Ginn is a woman who has faced many obstacles throughout her life, including periods of homelessness. Throughout, her deep faith in God and passion for the examples of Jesus have sustained her in her journey. The one thing she has prayed for, which she has found since joining PALS (formerly known as Circles), is the sense of belonging to a true community of deeply caring and supportive friends. She is looking forward to sharing her experiences with church members. She is grateful for the opportunity, as her goal is to help others by becoming a motivational speaker. 

Sunday, May 17 Congregational Meeting Notice

Meeting Will Be In Person and On Zoom

Union Congregational Church 

Special Congregational Meeting Notice

Sunday, May 17, 2026 

11:00 am Assembly Room and on Zoom

Agenda

Presentation and Motion to Approve HVAC Proposal

Motion:

The Congregation accepts the proposal from Tri Tech Energy, Inc. to replace the HVAC system in the Church Building for $850,000, and approves a $100,000 contingency fund for unplanned expenses, for a total project cost of $950,000.

Presentation and Motion to Amend the Constitution and Bylaws Amendments to Permit Borrowing

Motion:

The Congregation amends the Constitution and Bylaws to permit borrowing and securing loans with church assets with the approval of the Congregation.

Presentation and Motion to Approve UCC Cornerstone Loan, if needed

Motion:

The Congregation approves borrowing up to $1,200,000 from the UCC Cornerstone Fund to finance the HVAC project, if it is needed.

Submitted by:

Christine Brown, Moderator

Barbara Ross, Secretary

Help Us Cover Katie's Maternity Leave In The Childcare Room

Katie, our Sunday morning childcare provider, will be on maternity leave in May and June. We are looking for Sunday School volunteers to teach, lead a craft, or just be a helper. If you are willing to serve in this way, Please sign up by clicking here. The first shift needing coverage is Sunday, May 10th. Questions? Contact BJ Carter or Rev. Leah.



This Week:

Monday, May 4

11am "Faith In A Time Of Genocide" Webinar

Together, Rifat Kassis, the General Coordinator of Kairos Palestine, and Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah, Palestine, will help those attending to dive deeper into the reality of Palestinian Christians today, their witness and context, and what is required of the global Christian community to accompany them. Click here to register.

Tuesday, May 5

12:30pm Rev. Katrina's Final Bible Study Of The Book Of Revelation (Guild Room)

7pm-8:30pm "Holy Hangout," A Family-Friendly Evening Bible Study

All are welcome. Email Seo Hee Koh, or Sarah or BJ Carter for the location and details.

Wednesday, May 6

10:30am Gentle Yoga

Email Sara T. to confirm the location – Zoom or in person.

Noon Union Sages (Guild Room)

7pm Handbell Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

Women's Breakfast In May With "Farmher Leah"

Saturday, May 16th at 9am (Assembly Room)

Rev. Leah, a.k.a. “Farmher Leah,” will be our presenter at the next Women’s Breakfast. Rev. Leah believes that there is something holy and healing about putting your hands in the dirt – that growing food, feeding others, nurturing community, and caring for creation is sacred work. Her journey began in a single community garden plot in Oregon and grew into owning an urban farm in Detroit, Michigan, with years of soil, seeds, challenge and joy in between. Join us as Leah shares stories from her work as a farmer, food and faith educator, and food sovereignty activist. There will be a lot of pictures!

Come on Saturday, May 16 to hear Leah’s fascinating story. A delicious breakfast with gluten-free options will be served. The cost of the breakfast is $7.00. Please RSVP to Karen Ermler, karen.ermler@gmail.com, so that we can make sure we have enough food for this certain to be interesting event! Guests are always welcome. Hope to see you there!

Worship With Us In May

Next Sunday, May 10th, 10am:

Children's Pageant "The Thankful Tree"

Join us for "The Thankful Tree," a heartwarming children's musical about gratitude, hope, and discovering the blessings in every season of life. If you have someone out of town who would like to watch the pageant, let them know it will be livestreamed on the Church's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/unioncong1.

Sunday, May 17th, 10am:

Creation Justice Concert "Make Our Garden Grow"

The Sanctuary Choir will present a lessons-and-carols-style service titled “Make Our Garden Grow.” This program explores climate justice in three movements: the beauty of creation, our responsibility to protect and preserve it, and the consequences we face when we fail to do so. Featuring music by Joseph Haydn, Dan Forrest, Stephen Schwartz, Elaine Hagenberg, Matthew Culloton, and Leonard Bernstein, with guest soloist Annelie Fahlstedt.

Sunday, May 17th, 4pm:

Rev. Leah McCullough Installation with reception to follow

An Installation service is a celebration of call, and of covenant between Pastor, Congregation, and Association. It marks an important way for the church to say “yay, welcome!” to pastor, and for the wider church to affirm and demonstrate their witness of the Holy Spirit in the pastor’s call to a particular time and place. Join us to celebrate Rev. Leah’s call, and our mutual ministry and covenant, at this joyful service. Associate Conference Minister Rev. Craig Peterson will preach.

Sunday, May 24th, 10am:

Pentecost Sunday

Join us for an intergenerational service celebrating the “birthday of the church”, with prayer stations and lively music. Wear red, the traditional color representing the fire of the Spirit that came down on Pentecost.

Sunday, May 31st, 10am:

Confirmation Sunday

Join us for a joint worship service (at Union) with Glen Ridge Congregational Church, led by this year’s Confirmation Class, as we bless them on their journey of faith.



More About The Church's Wider Mission

Gifts from congregations like ours to Our Church's Wider Mission make it possible for our Conferences and the National Ministries to strengthen local churches and leaders and engage us in missions well beyond our community. The National Ministries of the United Church Of Christ, help us put love into action, through ministries that no one congregation could do alone. The National Ministries are organized into these three categories (click on the links for a full list of ministries under each category):

Love of Church supports congregations and other settings of the church in doing justice, seeking peace, and building vibrant faith communities that are welcoming to all. From the National Setting in Cleveland, Ohio, Love of Church is responsible for supporting local churches with worship and faith-forming publications, resources, research and development, and education.

Love of Neighbor encourages and supports local churches, Associations, Conferences, and the national expressions of the United Church of Christ to participate in the global, multiracial, multicultural church.

Love of Service is responsible for administration and common services for the National Setting. The Love of Service Ministry oversees the finance office, human resources, legal counsel, ecumenical and interfaith relationships, the UCC Resources Store, strategy and planning, philanthropy, technology, UCC Archives, and marketing and communications.

Community Events

The Montclair Community Band's Spring Concert

This Friday, May 8th, 7:30pm

Buzz Aldrin Middle School Auditorium (173 Bellevue Avenue)

Come hear Rob Iracane and others...

Montclair NAACP Membership Luncheon

Saturday, May 16th, Noon-3pm

Greek Taverna (292 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair)

Tickets are $75 and includes membership or basic membership renewal. Purchase tickets at https://www.montclairnaacp.org/membership-drive.

You can also join the Montclair NAACP directly, the basic Adult Annual Membership is $30. You can find the link to join or renew membership at www.montclairnaacp.org.

The NAACP was formed over 100 years ago by a diverse group of black and white activists committed to the principles of freedom, justice, and equality for all people. Today, 117 years later, the fight continues. The Montclair organization is celebrating 110 years, and has consistently included a diverse coalition of supporters throughout its history.